Screw driver



MarhS, 1946. I' F. 1 DARLING 2,395,040

SCREW DRIVER v Filed Oct. 30. 1944 Patented Mar. 5, 1946 UNITED STATES ,PATENT OFFICE f Y 2,396,040 P sc REW DRIVER Frank' L. Darling, Hollywood, Calif. l Application October 30, 194.4, Serial No.7560,962

` `s claims. (ci. 74-126) My invention relates toscrew drivers of the ratchet type. It particularly has for its objects:

.to provide a ratchet screw driver with a positive V`construction, one in which friction is reduced to a minimum and vone in which the ratchet mechanism is fully 'enclosed and protected to prevent tampering; and to provide a tool Vwhich can be readily dis-assembled for inspection if desired.

' Other objects will inv part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter. y i

To the attainment of the above objectsV and ends the invention further resides in those novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts all of which will be first described in detail and then be specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the tool.

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinalsection of the tool, the screw shaft being shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the hollow handle and the ratchet sleeve and spring in central longitudinal section and the remaining parts in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. v

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the' arrow.

Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3 looking in a direction oppositethat of the arrow.

Fig. '7 is a detail central longitudinal section of a part of the hollow handle or case and the ratchet sleeve mounted therein.

Fig. 8 is a cross section on theline 8 8 Aof Fig. 2.

In the drawing in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures, I represents a hollow handle 'or tubular case, closed at one end and there provided with a bearing 2 for the end 4 of a shaft 3. The shaft 3hasra squared-in-cross-section portion 5 the corners of which are bevelled olf, as at 6, to provide bearing surfaces for balls 'I.A

Longitudinally slidably mounted on and turning with the shaft 3 is a roller-carriage I6 having two pairs of slots 36 at right angles to one another in which slots rollers I'I are mounted on pins I 8. Rotatably mounted onr the portion 8, of theV shaft below thesquared part 5 thereof, is

a ratchet Wheel I3 having one-way teeth I4 on and riding in slots 24 in the sleeve 22 (See Fig. '7)

The sleeve is continuously urged in one direction byra spring 26.

' A cylindrical cupped body II is ttedon the shaft end 8 and has'a rsleeve 9 pinned to the shaft 'as at Ill. In the body II is tightly fitted a hard metal ball-.race disc I2 between which and the ratchet` wheel I3 a ball thrust'bearing '35 is located.

The open end of the case I is provided with clutch teeth receiving recesses 2IV to receive the teeth 29 of a shiftable clutch 28 whose sleeve 30 is secured to the sleeve 9 so as to be longitudinally slidablev thereon, by a pin 32 which also passes through and secures the shank 3l inthe sleeve 9. The sleeve 30 has a slot 3| in which the ends of the pin 32 lie (see Fig. 2). The sleeve 9 has a at portion forming a recess 33 (Fig. 8) in which a leaf spring 34 is bowed so as to act as a frictiondevice and hold the sleeve 30 in either its operative or its inoperative position.

The shank 3l has a squared end 38 with a latch ball 39 of well known construction to receive the working tool attachments socket 42. This tool attachment may be a socket wrenchY or a f screw driver bit, a screw driver bit 40 being shown for illustration purposes.

The shaft 3 is mounted in the handle I and turnswith it by means of a screw 4I which turns with the shaft.

A compression spring I8 is mounted on the shaft 3 between the roller carriage I6 and a thrust plate or disc 20 against which plate, and a nut 2l on shaft 3, the spring I9 is located. By turning` clutch member 28 is pushed into engagement with the case l thus locking the teeth 29 in the recesses 2.

What I claim is:

1. In a ratchet tool of the class described: a hollow handle-case; a shaft rotatably mounted in said case; a ratchet sleeve mounted in said case to turn with and have longitudinal movement in said case; a body mounted in said case -and secured to said shaft to turn with it.; a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft within said case in cooperative association with said ratchet sleeve; a thrust bearing between said ratchet wheel and said body; a releasable driveV connection between said shaft and said ratchet wheel and including force applying means for said drive connections; a tool-carrying shank coupled to said shaft to turn with the same; andi a shiftable clutch device for coupling said shaft to said case so the tool may be used as an ordinary screw driver.

2. The tool of claim l, wherein said releasable drive includes concave seats on said ratchet wheel, a roller-carriage slidably mounted on said shaft to turn therewith, rollers mounted in said carriage to engage said seats, and a compression spring on said shaft and engaging said rollercarriage to press the rollers to their seats.

3. The tool of. claim 1, wherein there is provided means for regulating the force of said compression spring.

4. In a. tool of the class described: a tubular case having. a shaft bearing adjacent one end; a ratchet sleeve mounted in said case to turn therewith and', be longitudinally slidable thereon; a ratchet-sleeve-advancing spring in said case and engaging said ratchet sleeve, said ratchet sleeve having one-way clutch teeth; a shaft rotatably mounted in said shaft bearing within the case; a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft and` having one-way clutch teeth to engage the teeth of said ratchet sleeve and having rollerreceiving seats; said shaft having a squared portion, and a roller-carriage slidably mounted on said squared portion and having rollers to engage said seats; a nut threaded on said shaft; a thrust plate on said shaft and engaged by said nut; a compression spring on said shaft between said thrust plate and said roller-carriage; means for coupling said shaft to a working tool attachment; and means for holding said ratchet wheel in place in said case.

5. The tool of claim 4, wherein bearing balls are provided between said roller-carriage and the portion of said shaft on which said rollercarria-ge slides.

6. The tool of claim 4, whereinV said holding means comprises a cylindrical body Within the case and secured to said shaft, and a ball bearing between said cylindrical body and said ratchet wheel.

7. The tool of claim 4, wherein an end of said case has two-way clutch-teeth-receiving recesses, and a sliding clutch memberha-ving clutch teeth tol enter said recesses and "lock the casev and shaft together, said sliding clutch member being carriedv on and turning with said shaft and shifti able along the same.

8. Thetool of claim 4, wherein bearing balls are provided between said roller-carriage and the portion of the shaft on which it slides; an end of said case having two-Way clutchteeth-receiving recesses; a sliding' clutch member having clutch teeth to enter said recesses and lock the case and said shaft together, said sliding clutch member beingV carried on and turning with said shaft and shiftable along the same; said ratchet wheel holding means comprising a body within said case and secured to said shaft, and a ball bearing between said body and said ratchet 40 wheel.

FRANK L. DARLING. 

